Workers often have to climb to heights above ground level when they are building structures. When they do this, the tools that they use, as well as themselves, can become hazards to the people who are on the levels below them. There are some very specific ways that construction workers can help prevent these objects from killing or injuring others.
It is up to every construction company to have protocol in place to prevent falling object hazards. All of the workers for that company must comply with those protocol if they are working above ground level.
What protocol should be in place?
There must be something that will prevent the object from falling on people. This might include using a strap or tether to attach the object to something that will be able to catch it. Some companies might use specialized netting or catch boards to stop other falling objects. The conditions of the site and the type of hazard present are the factors that will determine what is appropriate.
Why is it so important to prevent falling objects?
Even light and small falling objects can be hazardous if they are dropped from several stories above ground level. There was once a man who was killed when a tape measure struck him. It had fallen from 50 stories up, so it had gained quite a bit of velocity before it struck the man. While this might seem like an extreme example, it is something that is a very real hazard at every building construction site.
There are times when people are injured or killed by falling objects, which might lead to claims for compensation. Whether the person was a construction worker or not and other factors in the accident will determine how the case is handled.
Source: EHS Today, “The Sky Isn’t Falling (And Your Tools Shouldn’t Either),” Mark Caldwell, accessed March 16, 2018